


"If You Love Something, Set It Free"

by The_Hidden_Boots (Captain_Tomate)



Category: Asagao Academy: Normal Boots Club
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, M/M, The Pocky Game, really late b-day present for joltik, set in my pokémon au, sorry friendo!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-09
Updated: 2017-03-09
Packaged: 2018-10-01 12:28:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10189901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Captain_Tomate/pseuds/The_Hidden_Boots
Summary: Following your dreams hurts. Or maybe that's just for them.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so so so sorry this is so late for your birthday, Joltik. February just wasn’t a good time for me to write. I hope this makes up for it though! ♡ Happy ultra late birthday, Joltik~ Hope you enjoy it.
> 
> [SPOILERS FOR THE ASAMON AU]

Why did it have to rain? Today, of all days?

 

Luke frowned, his Eevee - Euterpe - hugged close to him as he watched the rain fall from one of the huge windows of the gym. This was supposed to be a fun day… But now...well, that was ruined.

 

He heard someone walk up behind him, plopping down onto the floor. He didn't even have to look over to know who it was. “Hey, Luke,” Jared greeted, flashing the other boy a smile. Luke didn’t even give a fake smile back. He tilted his head, “What's wrong? Do I have to kick someone's butt?”

 

“Oh! No. It's just… One of my old friends from a few towns over was supposed to be visiting today. But… Well, look at it!” Luke motioned wildly to the outside, where the stormed seemed to grow stronger just to spite him, “He'd never come over in this weather…”

 

The older boy hummed, nodding thoughtfully. “I see…” Another few seconds of quiet, before Jared jumped up and grabbed Luke's hand, expression bright. “Here! I think I know something that can help cheer you up!”

 

Luke couldn't say anything. He just followed his friend quietly, to the wall under the stairs. “I found this when I was about six.” Jared said, tugging some wallpaper away with a ripping noise that made Luke uneasy and his Eevee squirm in his grasp. What if Jared's mom found them? Would she punish them? Just him, or Jared? He really didn't want to find out…

 

The part of wall that Jared had revealed swung open easily with a little push, and he got to his knees and crawled in. “Come on! Trust me, it's big in here!”

 

Luke gulped, letting Euterpe jump out of his arms before entering it himself. As Jared fixed the wallpaper and closed the door, he looked around the room in wonder. Had Jared put this together by himself? He must have; his mother would never help him with making a room like this of his own, nevermind approve of how it looked.

 

There were strings of different colored fairy lights all across the walls, an old beaten-up desk and chair in the corner, an overused corkboard… It looked so cobbled together, but Luke was instantly enthralled, his earlier disappointment overshadowed.

 

“Wow…” He muttered, turning back to Jared, “This is so cool! You did this all by yourself?”

 

Jared blushed. (Or that just could've just been the lighting. Hard to tell, honestly.) “Well, I got some help from that old bug catcher. Y'know, the one who lived in the hut just outside of town?” When Luke nodded, Jared continued, walking towards the desk, “He gave me some of his son's old stuff! Like, the corkboard and the desk with chairs are his. I got the fairy lights...I don't remember where, actually...Probably some junkyard.”

 

A shrug. Jared smiled at him, “Ms. Juniper said she'd give me some old beanbag chairs from her shop, too! Hopefully my luck doesn't run out and I can sneak them in without Mother noticing.”

 

Luke nodded, sitting in a chair pushed up against the wall, “I'm sure you will. She barely pays attention anyways… Well, unless you _noticeably_ do something that'll make her upset. But you're careful.”

 

“Mm-hm.” Jared sat down on the other chair, resting his cheek in his hand, “I mean, I try to be. I already get enough lectures from her on a daily basis…”

 

Luke nodded, not saying anything and letting a somewhat tense silence fill the room. He had had the “joy” of watching Jared getting one of his mother's lectures; he knew how awful they could be. She did….not let up, honestly. And it both made him mad and a little scared of stepping out of line.

 

“I just wish she'd give you a break…” He finally said, bringing Jared's attention back to him, “You're only like… Fifteen. She puts way too much pressure on you. My dad always says that you have to give kids a chance to breathe and grow at their own pace.”

 

Jared frowned, “And my mom thinks your dad is a way-too-laid-back hippy. Her words, not mine!” He quickly defended, despite Luke barely even sending him a joking glare, “But, yeah. I think a break could be good. A rest of my life long break.”

 

Despite himself, Luke chuckled, “You'd deserve it…”

* * *

 

Luke tossed a pen up in the air, spinning around and around in his chair as he waited for Jared to come back, Euterpe napping on his lap. The little room under the stairs had become something of a secret base - a place for them to talk privately and plan out the futures the wanted. And it seemed Jared had gotten stopped by...something. Probably his mother. And that put Luke on edge.

 

But, before he could get too anxious, the door swung open, and Jared came through, sealing it up with practiced ease. He came over to the desk, pulling out a big book from his satchel and putting it down. Luke stopped spinning, and Jared flopped onto a beanbag.

 

“I want you to know I almost got caught by mother.” He stated, clearly trying to sound angry but his tone too full of exasperated fondness when he saw Luke's face light up when reading the first page. “Luckily she was too busy talking to one of the other gym leaders.”

 

Luke nodded, not completely listening, as he skimmed through the pages of the design book. He scribbled down a few notes on the paper on the desk. “Thanks for this, Jar.” He finally said after a minute or two of note taking, “I really owe you one!”

 

“I'll hold you up to that.” Jared sighed, sinking into his chair, “God, it was terrifying, but I don't think she'll notice that old thing's missing. She'd never redesign this place.”

 

“Definitely. I'll get more use out of it.” Luke smirked, “At least, if I can manage to get my own gym one day…”

 

“You will.” Jared didn’t hesitate, looking at Luke seriously, “At least, I'm pretty sure you will. You'd make a great gym leader. A much better one than I'd ever be, anyway…”

 

He got a close-eyed smile in return, along with a quiet thanks. And Jared thought he felt his face rise in temperature slightly. For some reason…

* * *

 

“Jared, I...Can I ask you for a favor?”

 

Luke shuffled his feet, and as soon as he noticed the oddly shy behavior of the other Jared tilted his head. “What's going on, Luke? Something wrong?”

 

“N-No! It's just…” He pulled out a small box from his blazer, looking away from his friend and at the ground. “Um… I know, it's weird, but… Kaede dared me to! So, d-do you want to play the Pocky Game with me? You can say no, I get it. I'll just tell him an-”

 

“I'll play.” Jared blushed. Why...Why did he say that? Was it _weird_ to say that? Did he just screw up or something? Did Luke even want to play??

 

But, Luke smiled, shyness instantly gone. “Great!” He opened up the box, opening the packet inside and pulling out a stick. “You want the biscuit or cream? It's cookies and cream.”

 

“I'll just take the biscuit.” Jared said, feeling a little numb. Al...Alright. Alright! This was just innocent fun. Just a tiny bet. Nothing weird here.

 

But, as he put his end in his mouth, and they started chewing on their ends, he swore his heartbeat picked up. Just a little. It was definitely going faster. And...Wow, they were close…

 

The Pocky disappeared. Luke's lips were warm. Soft and wow...wow. Okay, he liked this. Why did he like this so much?

 

Neither of them pulled away. Luke just came closer, actually. And Jared came closer to, deepening the kiss as Luke's arms draped across his shoulders loosely and his own wrapped around Luke's waist.

 

Everything felt… warm. New and exciting and warm. Clumsy, yeah; definitely clumsy. They weren't being incredibly careful and their noses were bumping and there were a few other first kiss mistakes but… It was good.

 

It was a mystery who pulled away first. Probably Jared, for all he knew. It wasn't certain.

 

One thing that was certain, though, was that the answer was a definite “yes” to Luke pulling out another pocky stick with an excited, mischievous gleam to his eyes.

* * *

 

“ _Hey, Luke… I'm sorry. I just can't take being here anymore. I can't tell you where I'm going. You never know - mother might make you tell her. I should really just keep this short. I'm going after my own happiness. And I'm just...so damn sorry. We could've been something great. But I guess fate just doesn't want that for us… Hope you get what you want too._

 _-Jared_ ”

 

Luke sighed, looking at the note pinned to the corkboard with a stony gaze. Euterpe nuzzled his cheek, quickly breaking the facade.

 

His tears started to fall, shoulders shaking, and he tried to cry as quietly as possible. All the while, his Eevee tried to console him.

 

Maybe… Maybe things would be better this way. Jared would be happy. And...And that was the most important thing. Even if it hurt.

  
Right? Right. It was all for the best...


End file.
